Line-starter cabinet



Jan. 15, 1946. D. ELLIS ET'AL I LINE -STARTER CABINET Em 2/ mam n s W Wmm m mm m a, M5? 6 ph w Filed Sept. 15

v WITNESSES: W,

Patented Jan. 15, 1946 Delbert Ems Wills nsh and JamesIL Alsna'clu Swissizale, rat as is xs a, W stinghouse Else..-

an Corp a on.

7 teration of Pennsylvania ast Pit sbu gh;

P a 99k" Anni-mo ion samba 1s, massai new z-ea'ims (C 2I2Q-t invention relates to a cabinetsti'nctur'e, and mor particularly to a cabinet for electric witch s su as n a s. te the l e Line-starters for connecting an electric motor on other load across a source of power supply are commonly mounted in a cabinet f-oi protection against dirt and damage. The cabinet usually comprises a box-like container which is mounted on a suitable supporting structure and a, lid or cover which is secured to the cabinet.

Since it is at times neces'sal' to repair or adjust the line-starter, it is desirable that access to or removal of the line-starter from the cabinet may be had with a minimum expenditure of time and efliort. It is further desirable that the cabinet be, simple in construction so as to be readily and economically mannfaetuiable and reliable in operation from the stand-point oisi ving its intended purpose over long periods of time.

v Qne of the principal object of this-invention is (g provide a line-starft'en cabinet which will provide all of the above-mentioned featiires;

A further object is to provide the container and cover of a linerstartei: cabinet with an improved arrangementof coopeiating pans foi= secjiring th cover to the container.]

A further object is to provide improved struchire o equting e co r of a i i t t ma in. nosi 'on omp s g coop t n mammat one side Q the cabinet 8 sp o n n amine such a tsn m ans gage e and a box-type. iastenine de ice at. the o er. 's' he s anner for Securin tainer.

Aiu ther ebi ct of. th s inven ion isthepr h h i an impmved s tor or" mine 1y Swo ning he line=sta ter n th cjalq net whi h iaeili ete heaphli atien oilastell ine ole: ment su h as threaded Sc ews Other objects and adv ntages o th s invention l me pparent fr m the o ate e' scription tak n in cosmetics was ame anyingdraws/ma n wh' I a V Figure l is; a, front elevatiopal View at the can tamer portion of a line ta et cabinet l QWiHe the base plateof a switch swth as a line-stapter mounted in position on the base 01- the container. Fig. 2: is a sectional view taken substantially on the l-i-ne 11 -11 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a cover member, looktoward the inside thereof, which is part-iculait y wanted f r pl ti n o t e tentam showninFig. -1.-

ins parts. respec i e y on t e co and container the. cover a ,the c n- 4 Fig; 4 is a sectional viewtaken substantially on the line IV-IV'OE Fig. 3. r

Fig; 5 is an enlargedand broken-away pen spective view of a portion of the cabinet struc: ture illustrating a box-type mating structure for securing the cover to the container, and

Fig"; 6 is a sectional view of a portion of the cabinetillustrating the relative positions of the fdlcruming parts atthe time the cover is initially applied to the container; 'The cabinet structure comprises a box=shaped container member; indicated as a whole by the numeral I, and a coveror lid, indicated as a whole by the numeral' 2, forthe container I. The container I comprisesupper and lower parallel side walls 3; and lateral parallel side walls 4. The side walls 3 and 4 are "provided with inaturn'ed flanges 5' at the base thereof to. which the sub-.-

stantially flat base plate 6 of the container t is securedin such manner that the side walls 31 and 4 project outwardly therefrom. The container I is preferably mounted in position as; shown in Fig. 1 on a suitable supporting structure (not hown) and openings 1' are provided in the base plate 6 through which fastening elements, may be passed for accomplishing such mounting.

The container I is particularly adapted for the reception and protection of an electric switch such as a line-starter. Since. this invention is concerned only with the "structure by which a line-starter may be mounted in position, onlyt .e base plate or supporting member 8 on which the operatin par-ts of aswitch unit are mounted has been shown in the interest of simplicity, the operating parts or the type of switch unit to be mounted on the base plate 8- forming no. par-t per se of this invention.

To mount the base plate 8 in position in the container I, upper and lower supporting straps 9 aresuitably secured as by rivets H], to the base 6 of the container I. The upper strap 9 is prov-ided with a supportingpin having an enlarged head H and a. reduced shank l2: connected to the supporting strap 9. The base plate 8 i-spmvided with an opening t3 suficiently large to permit it to be readily slipped over the head II into position as shown in Fig. -1. In such position the shankl-z supports the, base 8 a d th switch unit (not shown)- to be carried thereby, anclthe enlarged head I l engaging with the surface of the plate 8 will prevent disengagement of the plate 8 from the shank It}, even though the container I be subjected to a. healer shook;-

Ifhe straps 9 and base, 6 are provided with a d penin s. tor the. recepti n. of -t h.e

In this manner the pin 2| provide fulcruniingparts'about which threaded ends ll of screws having heads i5 engageable with the surface of the plate 8 in an annular area surrounding openings l6 formed in the plate 9 through which the threaded ends 14 may be passed. The opening i3 in the plate 8 is so located that when it is engaged with the shank I2 the openings ifi in the plate 8 will be aligned with the threaded openings in the straps 9 and base 6. Upon application of the screw fastening members, the heads l5 thereof will function to clamp the plate 8 to the base 9 of the container i. V

The shank l2 and opening 13, in addition to positioning the plate 8 for the reception of the threaded fastening elements, provides a desirable feature in supporting the plate 8 and its switch-- unit during application of the threaded fastening elements. In this manner, the manual support of the switch unit during the application of the fastening elements is eliminated. After removal of the threaded fastening elements, it is merely necessary to raise the plate 8 slightly so that the opening 13 will clear the head H to remove the switch from the container l The top or cover 2, which forms aclosure member for the container I, comprises a boxshaped member having edge portions l1 adjacent its periphery for engagement with the outer edges 18 of the side walls 3 and 4. The edge portions i! have depending flanges i9 adapted to lap the side walls-of the container I when the cover is in position as best shown in Fig. 5.

To secure the cover 2 in position on the container I, the upper side wall 3 is provided with an opening 29 for the reception of a pin 2i secured to and projecting inwardly from the flange 19 as shown in Fig. 3. To providea tight fitting cover and to eliminate noise and wear from vibration in a manner to be described, a spring 22 is mounted adjacent the pin 2!. The spring 22 is an opening alignable provided with a pair of resilient arms 23 respec tively projecting in opposite directions from the pin 21 and positioned between the edge portion l1 and the pin 2|. The outer ends of the spring arms 23 are provided with camming surfaces 29 to insure their engagement with the edge It of the upper side wall 3 of the container l.

To mount the cover 2 on the container. I, the cover 2 is held in anangular position with respect to the container l and the pin 2! is'inserted through the opening 29 as shown in Fig, 6. In this showing it will be noted that the opening the cover 2 may be swung to its closed position and the spring 24 is effective to maintain the pin or fulcrum part 2! in engagement with its fulcrum seat 25.

Fastening means is' provided adjacent the lower side wall 3 on the side of the cabinet oppoand 29 to form a box-shaped structure as shown in Fig. 5. j The arm 28 is provided with an opening for the reception of a headed screw 32 and the'arm 29 is provided with a threaded opening for engagement with the threaded end of the screw 32.' The screw 32 is effective to draw the arms 28 and 29 toward each other to, engage the edge portion ll of the cover 2 tightly. with the edges i8 and the side walls 3 and 4. The arms 30 and 3| provide the end walls of the box-shaped structure provided by the L-shaped brackets and act as compression members for preventing the brackets from being crushed orbent out of shape regardless of the clamping force applied to the arms or side walls 28 and 29 by the screw 32. .The arm 3| of the bracket 21 is provided with with an opening formed in a part 33 depending from the free end of the side wall 28 provided by the bracket 26. The hasp .34 of a lock may be passed through the aligned openings in the parts 3! and 33 to prevent unauthorized removal of the cover 2.

From the foregoing it will be noted that the cover 2 is of the lift-off type and may be removed by loosening only one screw. After removal ofthe cover 2, the switch unit carrying base plate 8 may be readily removed from the container l, as explained above, by removal of the fasteningelements l4 and lifting the plate outwardly over the enlarged head H and out of engagement with the supporting shank i2. In this manner it will be apparent that thereis provided a linepin 2| so that the pin may be readily entered at an angle with respect'to the opening-29. The.

cover 2 is then swung downwardly torengage the edge portions 11 with the edges 18 of ;the side walls 3 and 4. As this movement takes .place the camming surfaces 24 at the ends of the spring arms 23 cause the spring ends to ride up over the edges l8, and continued movement of the cover to its closed position will effect a compression or tensioning of the spring arms 23. The resilient force exerted by the spring arms 23 when the cover is in its closed position functions to maintain the pin 2| tightly engaged with'the upper edge of the opening 29. This resilient force likewise is effective toprovide a tight fitting cover and eliminates noise and wear due to vibration. The cover 2, in moving to its completely closed position from its initial angular position as shown in Fig. 6, will fulcrum about the point 25 at the upper edge of theopening 29. the edged the opening 29 and starter cabinet in which access to and removal of theline-starter is had with a minimum of time and effort. Moreover, these features are pro vided by parts which are simple in construction and are readily and economically manufacturable. It will also be noted that the cabinet "of this ine vention contains no parts which are likely to becomeworn or. damaged, and is therefore capable of serving its intended purpose over a long period of time. Since certain changes may be made in the above construction, and different embodiments of the invention may be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intendedthat all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. We claim as our invention:

1. A container, comprising a box member open at its front and having side walls with'substantially straight front edges, a closure member designed for' covering said box member and being fully removable therefrom, said closure member having a flange portion and forming a peripheral inner ledge so as to overlap said edges while sub,- stantially abutting against them. at said a ledge when said'closure member is in full closing'position on said box'member, one of said side walls of said box member having an opening nearthe edge of said wall, and said flange portion of said closure member having an inwardly projecting part for loosely engaging said opening, a spring located between said ledge and said edge near said opening and attached to one of said members so as to bias said closure member away from said box member when said closure member is in full closing position, and fastening means attached to said two members at the side of said box member opposite said opening for locking both members together.

2. A container, comprising a box member open at its front and having side walls with substantially straight front edges, a closure member designed for covering said box member and being fully removable therefrom, said closure member having a flange portion and forming a peripheral inner ledge so as to overlap said edges while substantially abutting against them at said ledge when said closure member is in full closing position on said box member, one of said side walls of said box member having an opening near the edge of said wall, and said flange portion of said closure member having an inwardly projecting part for loosely engaging said opening, a spring attached to said closure member so as to abut resiliently against said edge near said opening in order to bias said closure member away from said box member when said Closure member is in full closing position, and fastening means attached to said two members at the side of said box member opposite said opening for locking both members together.

DELBERT ELLIS.

JAMES H. ALSPACH. 

